Philippines Visa Requirements

A Philippine Visa is an endorsement made on a travel document by a consular officer at a Philippine Embassy or Consulate abroad denoting that the visa application has been properly examined and that the bearer is permitted to proceed to the Philippines and request permission from the Philippine Immigration authorities at the ports of entries to enter the country. The visa thus issued is not a guarantee that the holder will be automatically admitted into the country, because the admission of foreign nationals into the Philippines is a function of the immigration authorities at the port of entry.

DEFINITION OF A FOREIGN TOURIST (TEMPORARY VISITOR)

A "foreign tourist" is defined as a person without distinction as to race, gender, language or religion, who is proceeding o the Philippines for a legitimate, nonimmigrant purpose such as sightseeing, sports, health, family reasons, training or study (excluding enrollment in schools for the purpose of obtaining a title or degree), religious pilgrimage, business, cultural and scientific purposes.

Application for a temporary visitor's visa must be made in person. In the case of a minor under eighteen (18) years of age, the application may be made for him by a person who, in the opinion of the consular officer, is responsible for his/her welfare. The minor, not an infant in arms, shall be required to appear at the Consulate for interview, together with the person making the application for him/her.

Applicants for temporary visitor's visa should normally apply at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate that has jurisdiction over their place of residence. While some visa applicants may apply at any Philippine Embassy or Consulate abroad, others are only allowed to apply his/her visa at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in his country of origin or legal residence.

The following are the minimum requirements for applying a temporary visitor's visa:

Passport/Travel Document Valid for at least six (6) months beyond the intended period of stay in the Philippines;

Duly Accomplished Visa application forms;

Passport Photos (2 pieces);

Proof of bona fide status as tourist or businessman;

Confirmed tickets for return or onward journey to the next port of destination; and

Payment of Visa Fees

OTHER VISA/ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS

Minor children below 15 yrs. old Traveling to the Philippines Unaccompanied by or not Joining a Parent in the Philippines

A Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG) Under Section 29(a)(12) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, as amended is required for children below 15 yrs. old who are traveling to the Philippines unaccompanied by or not joining his/her parent/s to the Philippines.

The WEG Order will be issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the port of entry upon submission by the WEG applicant of the following requirements:

1. Affidavit of consent by either parent or legally appointed guardian of the child, naming therein the person who will be accompanying the child to the Philippines and with whom the child will stay while in the country. The said Affidavit must be duly notarized by a local notary public or the consular officer at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in the applicant's country or residence;

2. Clear photocopy of the data page of the child's passport;

3. Clear photocopy of the data page of the passport of the accompanying adult or guardian; and

4. Payment of immigration fees (currently, P3,120 per child).

Foreign Nationals on Board Privately-Owned Yachts or Sailboats

A temporary visitor's visa is required for foreign nationals who are traveling to the Philippines on board privately-owned yachts and sailboats. When applying the visa, the applicants will be required to provide the following particulars of the yacht/sailboat and its crewmembers:

Crewlist;

Nationality/Citizenship;

Passport details of the crew;

Vessel to be used for entry: type, name, registration, call sign, and other particulars;

Estimated date of entry into the Philippine territory;

Port/Area of entry (Philippine waters);

Estimated period of stay in the Philippines;

Character reference/shipping agent in the Philippines (if any); and

Purpose of visit

Upon entry into the Philippines, the crew of the yacht and sailboats are required to register immediately with the nearest Coast Guard Station and submit the yacht/sailboats to Customs, Immigration and Quarantine inspections.

Foreign Newsmen, Journalists and Cinema/Television Groups

Foreign newsmen and journalists visiting the Philippines in pursuit of their profession are required to apply for a temporary visitor's visa. The following are additional requirements for visa application of foreign newsmen, journalist, cinema/television groups:

Curriculum vitae of newsmen/journalists;

Shortlist of work credits;

Copy of one (1) sample article written by the applicant;

Background of media organization, including target market/audience, circulation, format; and

Administrative arrangements for the work in the Philippines, as follows:

List of members of the reportorial team, nationality and passport details;

Planned itinerary and activities, with storyline for any films to be made;

List of equipment to be brought by each team member, with certification from the media organization that said equipment will be re-exported at the end of the trip to the Philippines;

Flight details (arrival and departure); and

For each team member, one (1) photograph, sixe 1"x1", to be submitted to the International Press Center (IPC) for the issuance of accreditation card.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, the newsmen/journalists will have to report to the IPC for accreditation.

Foreign Nationals who wish to take up a short-term non-degree course

Foreign students who wish to take up a short-term non-degree course like language and computer courses must apply for a temporary visitor's visa. Upon arrival in the Philippines and acceptance by the school/institution authorized by the Bureau of Immigration to accept foreign students, he/she should apply for a Special Study Permit at the Bureau's Student Desk, together with the following documents:

Letter request;

Certificate of Acceptance from the school accredited by the Bureau of Immigration to accept foreign students;

Photocopy of passport reflecting the applicant's authorized period of stay;

Affidavit of Support and Proof of Financial Capacity; and

Birth Certificate.

EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZED PERIOD OF STAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

In case of a temporary visitor's visa holder whose stay in the Philippines will exceed the authorized period of stay, he/she will have to report to the Bureau of Immigration, secure an extension of stay and pay the corresponding immigration fees. Information on fees for extension of stay and other Immigration fees are available at the Bureau of Immigration website (www.immigration.gov.ph).

GUIDELINES ON THE ENTRY OF TEMPORARY VISITORS TO THE PHILIPPINES:

Nationals from countries listed below who are traveling to the Philippines for business and tourism purposes are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding thirty (30) days, provided they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination and their passports valid for a period of at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated period of stay.

Nationals from the following countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of stay of thirty (30) days or less:

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Bahrain

Barbados

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil*

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Costa Rica

Cote d’Ivoire

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel*

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Latvia

Lesotho

Liberia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Monaco

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Norway

Oman

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Republic of Korea

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovak Republic

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

South Africa

Spain

Suriname

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Tajikistan

Thailand

Togo

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Republic of Tanzania

United States of America

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vatican

Venezuela

Vietnam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

*Brazilian and Israeli nationals are given fifty-nine (59) days stay based on existing agreements.

The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding fourteen (14) days:

1. Holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative (SAR) passports.

2. Holders of Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports.

The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding seven (7) days:

1. Holders of Macau-Portuguese passports

2. Holders of Hong Kong British passports.

Important Note:

Nationals who are subjects of deportation/blacklist orders of the Department and the Bureau of Immigration shall not be admitted to the Philippines. Further inquiries may be addressed to the Visa Division (Telephone numbers:556-0000 and ask the operator to connect you to Visa Division), Department of Foreign Affairs, 2330 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City or to any Philippine Embassy or Consulate abroad.